Two

"Why, Hello! What a pleasant surprise! How nice that you will all be here to witness the death of the great, Unstoppable HARRY POTTER!" Voldemort yelled the last part, causing Harry, Hermione, and Ron to jump.

"Frightened?" Voldemort asked.

Even Mad-Eye looked scared.

Voldemort whipped out a wand. Harry knew it wasn't his. Harry pulled out his own wand, as did Ron and Hermione. Fred, George, Mr. Weasley, Tonks, Lupin, Bill, Fleur, and Mad-Eye had their wands pointed at Voldemort. Mundungus was cowering in the kitchen. There was silence except for the crackling of the fire, that was destroying their only chance of escape.

Voldemort laughed. "Avada, Keda-" he began slowly, wand pointed at Harry.

"Expelliarmus!" It was Hermione.

Voldemort's wand flew out of his hand, stopped mid air, turned, and landed back in his hand.

"Your potion didn't work too well, eh?" Voldemort was right. The potion hadn't lasted more that five minutes! Everyone was back to their normal selves, in clothes just like Harry's.

"How did he do that?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Do what?" Harry asked.

"Don't bother!" Came Voldemort's icy voice. "You're a smart girl, Miss Granger."

"How do you know my name?" Hermione asked

"Crusio!" Mad-Eye yelled at the same time that Voldemort yelled "Expelliarmus!"

Voldemort had Moody's wand.

"I know many things, Hermione." Voldemort responded.

Harry could honestly see no way that they were going to get out of this. Just as he was about to shout out a spell, seven Death Eaters landed on brooms. Harry knew what he needed to do. He whispered his plan to Hermione. She nodded and passed the information to the others. Voldemort was still talking to Mad-Eye about how helpless the situation was, when Harry yelled "NOW!"

"Accio Brooms!" came the yell of the combined voices. The Death Eater's brooms flew into the hands of Voldemort's enemies.

Two to each broom, they flew out of the yard, into the night sky. To Harry's dismay, Voldemort flew up into the air without even a broom. It was horrifying and unfortunately he was gaining on them quickly, laughing evilly as he went.

"Crusio!" He yelled, his spell hit Fred, who screamed loudly and would have fallen had George not been on the broom behind him.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Mad-Eye had been hit. Time slowed. Mad-Eye fell from his broom, there was no light in his eyes. He was dead. All because Harry needed to be rescued. Because of Harry. Hermione clung tightly to Harry, she was seated right behind him, and he could feel her shaking with sobs.

"It'll be alright Hermione. We'll be fine." Harry said his voice quivering as he tried to comfort the sobbing girl who was hugging him tightly from behind.

"Sectumsempra!" Voldemort yelled. Harry ducked, and the spell flew over his head and hit Mundungus who fell from his broom and disappeared. There was a loud screech and Hedwig flew up beside Harry.

"Hedwig!" He exclaimed happily.

Hedwig screeched louder and more panicked than Harry had ever heard her.

"Harry?" Hermione questioned, "Is Hedwig ok?"

"I don't kno-"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Voldemort yelled. The curse shot out of his wand and headed right at the back of Harry's closed his eyes and braced himself. Nothing happened.

"HARRY!" Hermione screamed. He opened his eyes just in time to see the snowy owl falling limply to the darkness below.

"HEDWIG!" Harry yelled.

"She took the curse for you!" Hermione said, tears streaming down her cheeks. She had been connected to the owl as well. Harry couldn't see. Tears blinded him. Hedwig had been his only connection to the wizarding world during those long summers at the dursleys, and a close friend.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed for what must have been the hundredth time that night.

Harry blinked the tears from his eyes, and saw that Voldemort was directly in front of him, blocking their path.

"Goodbye Harry Potter." Voldemort laughed coldly and raised his wand.